This study traces the progressively evolving concepts of blood circulation. Evidences from medical and non-medical Sanskrit literature have been presented to high the fact that the Ayurvedic concepts of physiology are time tested.

The authors present in this paper the status of treatment and cause of epilepsy. They propose further research to be undertaken to document the data and a study of human magnetic aura followed by blood spectral studies. They have suggested that based upon these studies it should be possible to determine the cause of epilepsy and its treatment by the physical application of suitable precious and semi-previous stones followed by administration of Ayurvedic formulation.

Soma was originally Sauma as the Sanskrit form of the Avesta name Haoma. It is a loan word from the Chinese term, Hao-Ma, fire coloured hempior fibrous items like hemp and also coloured yellow with a tinge of brown. The Aryans as hunters took its juice as anti-fatigue drink. It was extolled as panacea and even as drink of longevity. The plant and its stalks were crushed between stones to produce juice. There arose different fractions and these have been given in a regular chart here.

A comparative study on the immunological properties of breast milk and cow's milk - II

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CP Saraswathy, Janabai Giri

This comparative study depicts the levels of immunoglobulins such as IgA and IgG in human breast milk samples with those of cow's milk samples. Immunoglobulins A and G were estimated by the method of Radial Immunodiffusion (RID). Experimental analysis showed that the level of Immunoglobulin A in breast milk samples were found to contain no traces of this antibody. IgG content in cow's milk (16.6 mg/dl) was higher than that of human milk (6.0mg/dl). It is clear that human milk is rich source of IgA, Early exposure through breast feeding is therefore obviously desirable.

Amrithapala (Janakia arayalpatra), a rare and endemic plant species found in the Southern forests of Western Ghat region of kerala, is used by the local 'Kani' tribe as an effective remedy for peptic ulcer, cancer-like afflictions and as a rejuvenating tonic. Search made in Ayurvedic literature indicates that the plant may be the divine drug named variously as MRITHA SANJEEVINI (the drug that can revive unconscious or dead) or SANJEEVINI, THAMPRA RASAYANI in the Oushadha Nighantu (Dictionary of Medicinal Drugs) of Tayyil Kumaran Krishnan (1906)

The chloroform, ethanol (95%) and aqueous extracts of roots of Salacia macrosperma (Hippocrataceae) were prepared by double maceration followed by vacuum evaporation. All the extracts were subjects to qualitative chemical tests to find out phytoconstituents present in them. The ethanolic extract showed significant hypoglycemic activity in fasted rabbits. The activity of ethanolic extract was also evaluated in alloxan induced hyperglycemic albino rats. It showed a mean blood sugar level reduction of 89.22 mg/100 ml which was significant when compared with mean variation in blood sugar levels of control group. Alcoholic and aqueous extracts were screened for their effect on both normal and hypodynamic isolated frog heart. Alcoholic extract showed considerable positive ionotropic activity and increased cardiac output without affecting heart rate both in normal and hypodynamic isolated frog heart.

Calotropin isolated and characterized from the roots of Calotropis procera when administered to gerbils (25mg/kg b.wt) and rabbits (25mg; kg b.wt) each day for a period of 30 days inhibited the process of spermatogenesis. The population of spermatids was depleted by 65% and 94% in gerbils and rabbits. The seminiferous tubules and the Leydig cell nuclei diameters were reduced in both the species.
The production of mature Leydig cells were decreased by 51.2% and 33.9% in gerbils and rabbits. The number of fibroblast like cells remain unchanged. Reduced protein, sialic acid, and glycogen contents of tests indicate dimished androgenesis. Abortifacient activity was also notived in female rats on the 12 th day of pregnancy. In conclusion, Calotropin was found to inhibit spermatogenesis in male and induced abortion in pregnant females.